Page 340 of Mad Girl

Sienna.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded.

Sienna rolled her eyes. “Nice to see you, too, Elliot.”

“Now that you aren’t with Michael anymore, I figured I’d never have to see you again.”

“I’m here to see Casey,” she said smoothly. “We’re still friends, you know.”

“Yeah?” I shot her a fake smile. “Or is he maybe too polite to tell you to fuck off?”

“Wow. Very caustic today, aren’t we?” She paused to consider me. “Hey, just out of curiosity, what brought you over to Michael’s apartment that day?”

Your gaze snapped to mine. “You went by Michael’s? When?”

“Oh, it was weeks ago,” Sienna said. “Before New Year’s, maybe? Does that sound right, Elliot?”

My stomach twisted.

“Before New Year’s,” you repeated slowly. “I thought you went by Tinsley’s?”

“I did go by Tinsley’s. But then I also went by Michael’s…to see if he was okay after missing Christmas.”

“But why didn’t you mention it?” you asked, eyes narrowing.

I laughed, even as my palms began to sweat. “Why would I, Casey? I shouldn’t have to inform you every time I visit with one of my friends. Did you bother to inform me you’d be visiting with this bitch today?”

“I never said—” You stopped. Closed your eyes. Took a deep breath. “You’re right. You shouldn’t have to inform me of anything.” You turned to Sienna. “I’ll grab that book you need to borrow.”

You brushed past me without making eye contact.

The second we heard your footsteps on the stairs, Sienna rose from the sofa. “You told him, didn’t you?” she asked, walking toward me, her arms crossed over a cropped red sweater, her manicured talons tapping her sleeve.

I gripped my phone. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You told Michael how we really met.”

“We actually didn’t talk about you at all,” I lied. “You’re not that important.”

“You show up at his apartment wanting to talk, he breaks up with me the next day, and he’s been ghosting me ever since.” She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “You expect me to believe that’s a coincidence?”

I kept my expression neutral. “Maybe it’s because you’re a greedy, conniving, manipulative bitch,” I said with a shrug, “and he finally decided to cut you out of his life.”

“You and Michael,” she said, entirely unmoved by my insult. “That’s been going on a while, hasn’t it?”

“Again, no idea what you’re talking about. Michael and I are friends.”

She laughed. “Friends with benefits, maybe.”

I laughed, too. “Nope. Just the regular kind.”

“Yeah? What if I told you I have indisputable proof that that’s false?”

“I’d tell you you’re full of shit because no such thing exists.”

Smiling like the evil wench she was, Sienna pulled her phone from her back pocket, tapped at the screen, and held it out.

A picture of me.